Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 02’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Grülo 02’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and large white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lobelia richardii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Grülo 02’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant, botanically known as Lobelia richardii, and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Grülo 02’.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Lobelia cultivars with a cascadinghabit, large flowers and attractive flower colors.

The new Lobelia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin May, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identifiedas code number IO 3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identified as code number IO4, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor from within the resultantprogeny from the above-mentioned cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands in August, 2002.

Asexual reproduction since September, 2002 of the new cultivar byterminal cuttings in a controlled environment in 's-Gravenzande, TheNetherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Grülo 02’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Grülo 02’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection differprimarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection havelight blue-colored flowers. Plants of the new Lobelia and the maleparent selection differ primarily in plant form as plants of the maleparent selection have a more trailing plant habit.

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 02 can be compared to the cultivarWeslowei, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,708. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands,plants of the new Lobelia and the cultivar Weslowei differed in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were longer than plants of the        cultivar Weslowei.    -   2. Lower flower petals of plants of the new Lobelia were larger        than lower flower petals of plants of the cultivar Weslowei.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered about two weeks earlier        than plants of the cultivar Weslowei.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia. The photograph comprises a side view of atypical plant of ‘Grülo 02’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 02 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and following description were grown in anoutdoor nursery under conditions that closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the spring and summer in 's-Gravenzande,The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesranged from 16° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to14° C. and light levels ranged from 20,000 to 45,000 lux. Plants werepinched once during the production period. Plants were about four monthsfrom planting when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia richardii cultivar Grülo 02.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii            identified as code number IO 3, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii            identified as code number IO 4, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 8 to 10 days at 16° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About three to four weeks at 16° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; color,            162C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading to            cascading plant habit; plants eventually become spherical in            form. Plants uniform and freely branching with lateral            branches potentially forming at every node; dense and bushy            plant habit; pinching plants enhances branching. Vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant length (soil level to lateral branches apices).—About            40 to 50 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 20 to 25 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity of primary lateral            branches: About 12 to 14. Length: About 25 to 30 cm.            Diameter: About 1 to 1.5 mm. Internode length: About 2 to            3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Basal            leaves: Length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Width: About 2.4 to 3 cm.            Shape: Elliptic to oval. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to            rounded. Margin: Crenate. Mid-plant and apical leaves:            Length: About 3.5 to 4 cm. Width: About 1.6 to 2 cm. Shape:            Rhomboid to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to rounded.            Margin: Crenate. Texture, all leaves, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation, all leaves: Pinnate.            Color, all leaves: Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully developed            foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147A. Fully            developed foliage, lower surface: 147B to 147C; venation,            147B. Petiole length: About 8 to 10 mm. Petiole diameter:            About 3 to 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface: 147B.            Petiole color, lower surface: 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers arranged singly at lateral            apices. Flowers held mostly outwardly. Flowers not            persistent. Older flowers are overgrown by new flowers and            foliage. Early flowering; plants begin flower about six to            eight weeks after pinching. Freely flowering, about 120 to            150 flowers and flower buds per plant. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Flower shape.—Tubular with three larger lower petals and two            upright petals.        -   Natural flowering season.—From early spring until the autumn            in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Typically eight to ten days.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: Large, about 2 to 2.4 cm. Depth            (height): About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 to            4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: 154D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;            three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.            Three lower petals: Length, above throat: About 1.3 to            1.5 cm. Width: About 8 to 10 mm. Two upper petals: Length,            above throat: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 to 2 mm. Upper and            lower petals: Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper surface: 155A; central stripes, 4C. When            opening, lower surface: More white than 155D. Fully opened,            upper surface: More white than 155D; central stripes, 154D.            Tube color: Close to 155D. Throat color: Close to 155A.            Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 155D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals,            star-shaped calyx. Length: About 8 to 10 mm. Width: About            1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.            Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 to            1 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            five. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: N200C.            Filament length: About 1 mm. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 3B. Pistils: Quantity per flower. One. Pistil length:            About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: N200B.            Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: N200B. Ovary color:            N200B. Seeds: Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Shape: Spherical. Color: 200D.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from 0° C. to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 02’, asillustrated and described.